Bronchial stenter

Abstract

A device and method for treating collapsed bronchial tubes found in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma are provided. The device includes an elongated member having a heating element that comprises one or more energy delivery members. The method includes heating the bronchial tube to cause at least a portion of the cross links of the collagen in the wall to unlink/open and subsequently form new cross links after the collagen fibers have realigned. The procedure effectively reinforces the structural integrity of the wall and thereby prevents the lumen from collapsing.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method of treating a bronchial tube in a lung having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that comprises the step of: 
       advancing a treatment device to a treatment site in the bronchial tube;  
       heating a wall of the bronchial tube to a temperature effective to form a region which increases the rigidity of the bronchial wall; and  
       removing the treatment device from the treatment site.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1  wherein the heating step forms a region which increases the rigidity of the bronchial wall without ablating the bronchial tissue. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim  1  wherein the wall is heated to a temperature in the range between about 40° C. and about 95° C. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim  3  wherein the wall is heated for about 1 to about 120 seconds. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim  1  further comprising the step of detecting whether the bronchial tube remains patent. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim  5  wherein the detecting step is performed by visual inspection, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, or impedance monitoring. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim  1  wherein the treatment device comprises an elongated member having a proximal end and a distal end and a heating element that is positioned at the distal end and that comprises one or more energy delivery members which when energized causes the wall to form a region which increases the rigidity of the bronchial wall; and a source of energy that is conducted to the heating element. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim  7  wherein the one or more energy delivery members each comprise an electrode band being spaced apart from an adjacent electrode band. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim  7  wherein the elongated member comprises a segment that is made of an elastic material and wherein the one or more energy delivery members are positioned on the surface of the segment. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  7  wherein the one or more energy delivery members comprise one or more sets of double electrode bands wherein each set comprises a first electrode which is connected to the positive electrode of an RF generator and a second electrode which is connected to the negative electrode of the RF generator. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim  7  wherein the one or more energy delivery members emit light energy. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim  7  wherein the elongated member comprises a conduit that channels fluid into the one or more energy delivery members. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim  7  wherein the distal end of the elongated member comprises a segment that is radially expandable, wherein the one or more electrodes that comprise non-ferrous material are positioned on the surface of the segment, and wherein the treatment device further comprises an electromagnet located in an interior region of said segment. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim  7  wherein the distal end of the elongated member comprises a segment that is pleated, wherein the one or more energy delivery members comprising non-ferrous material are positioned on an outer surface of the segment, and wherein the treating device further comprises an electromagnet located in an interior region of said segment. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim  7  whereby heating the wall causes the wall to form one or more patency bands that increase the rigidity of the bronchial wall. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim  15  wherein each patency band has a contour substantially resulting from the affect of one or more of the energy delivery members. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim  7  wherein heating the inner wall causes the inner wall to form a pattern that increases the rigidity of the bronchial wall. 
     
     
       18. A method of training a person to treat a bronchial tube in a lung having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that comprises demonstrating or instructing the performance of the following steps: 
       advancing a treatment device to a treatment site in the bronchial tube;  
       heating a wall of the bronchial tube to a temperature effective to form a region which increases the rigidity of the bronchial wall; and  
       removing the treatment device from the treatment site.  
     
     
       19. The method of claim  18  wherein the heating step forms a region which increases the rigidity of the bronchial wall without ablating bronchial tissue. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim  18  wherein the inner wall is heated to a temperature in the range between about 40° C. and about 95° C. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim  20  wherein the wall is heated for about 1 to about 120 seconds. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim  18  further comprising the step of detecting whether the bronchial tube remains patent. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim  22  wherein the detecting step is performed by visual inspection, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, or impedance monitoring. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim  18  wherein the treatment device comprises an elongated member having a proximal end and a distal end and a heating element that is positioned at the distal end and that comprises one or more energy delivery members of sufficient width so that when energized causes the wall to form a region which increases the rigidity of the bronchial wall; and a source of energy that is conducted to the heating element. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim  24  wherein the one or more energy delivery members each comprises an electrode band being spaced apart from an adjacent electrode band. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim  24  wherein the elongated member comprises a segment that is made of an elastic material and wherein the one or more energy delivery members are positioned on the surface of the segment. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim  24  wherein the one or more energy delivery members comprise one or more sets of double electrode bands wherein each set comprises a first electrode which is connected to the positive electrode of an RF generator and a second electrode which is connected to the negative electrode of the RF generator. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of claim  24  wherein the one or more energy delivery members emit light energy. 
     
     
       29. The apparatus of claim  24  wherein the elongated member comprises a conduit that channels fluid into the one or more energy delivery members. 
     
     
       30. The apparatus of claim  24  wherein the distal end of the elongated member comprises a segment that is radially expandable, wherein the one or more energy delivery members comprising non-ferrous material are positioned on an outer surface of the segment, and wherein the treatment device further comprises an electromagnet located in an interior region of said segment. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim  24  wherein the distal end of the elongated member comprises a segment that is pleated, wherein the one or more energy delivery members comprising non-ferrous material are positioned on an outer surface of the segment, and wherein the treating device further comprises an electromagnet located in an interior region of said segment. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim  24  wherein heating the wall causes the wall to form one or more patency bands which increase the rigidity of the bronchial wall.